All Asia: South & Central
First LookPakistan’s anti-migrant crackdown leaves Afghans with no shelterThe Pakistani government set Oct. 31 as a deadline for migrants without documentation to leave the country, forcing hundreds of thousands of Afghans to flee in fear of arrest. Camps on the other side of the border lack proper shelter, food, and water.
First LookThousands have died under Myanmar’s military rule. Can a website help?Security Force Monitor, a product of the Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute, is a new website its creators hope will help bring accountability and justice to Myanmar’s civilians amid ongoing violence and war crimes.
First LookWhy protesters in Dhaka are pressuring Prime Minster Hasina to resignFollowing this weekend’s protests in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that turned violent, key opposition figure Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was arrested. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In Pakistan, one embattled ex-PM gets bail, the other doesn’t. Why?In Pakistan, two former prime ministers, both accused of corruption, are receiving different treatment from authorities. What does fairness look like in a case with so many missteps and injustices?
First Look‘This court can’t make law’: Same-sex marriage struck down in IndiaIn India, social acceptance of homosexuality has grown over the past decade. So has the demand for the LGBTQ+ community’s legal rights, yet the Supreme Court announced that same-sex marriage won’t be legalized after hearing 21 petitions earlier this year.
Why protecting Indonesia’s Indigenous land is a balancing actIn Indonesia, where obtaining land rights often rests on proving Indigeneity, any transformation can be a risk. For many Indigenous peoples, keeping their cultures alive in the 21st century requires careful weighing of adaptation and preservation.
Alliance under strain: Pakistan rethinks Taliban ties after attacksWhat does it take to make a friend an enemy? Pakistan – once seen as sympathetic to the Taliban – is reassessing its relationship with the neighboring regime after a series of terror attacks on its soil.
First LookPress freedom erodes further in India with recent raid, confiscationIndian police are facing criticism after raiding NewsClick, a journalism organization in New Delhi. NewsClick has been lauded for its independence, but international press monitors warn that press freedom is eroding in India.
First LookSouth Asia is the fastest growing region. Why are analysts concerned?South Asia is expected to grow by 5.8% this year, according to the World Bank, making it the fastest-growing region in the world. However, analysts are worried that the current rate is unsustainable – even as growth remains below pre-pandemic levels.
First LookClimate change: Even India’s monsoon season is wetter than normalIndia has experienced more property damage in this year’s monsoon season than in the past five seasons combined. The damage is worsened by climate change and exacerbated by unregulated development and lack of state preparedness.
Pakistan’s ‘maverick’ chief justice aims to restore court’s credibilityPakistan’s new chief justice is breaking norms by pushing for transparency and accountability – values that bode well for the country’s democratic institutions.
In Maldives presidential election, China and India are on the ballotIn the Maldives, voters have an opportunity to recalibrate their foreign policy by electing either a pro-China or pro-India president.
First LookIndia-Canada tensions intensify debate over Sikh independent stateIn Canada, the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader has renewed the debate over whether there is widespread support in the diaspora for an independent Sikh state.
First LookHotter climate leads to big drop in hydropower in China, IndiaAsia is relying more on fossil fuels after hydropower generation in China and India declined at the fastest rate in decades after record heat. The two countries account for around three-fourths of Asia’s power generation but are struggling to produce.
The ExplainerWhy this Sikh activist’s killing has divided India and CanadaThe diplomatic drama unfolding between India and Canada has roots in a decades-old movement for an independent Sikh state – a vision that sparked violence in the 1980s and continues to color India’s foreign politics.
Can India’s Eurasian trade corridor give China a run for its money?A newly announced economic corridor stretching from India to Europe could help accelerate economic development, as well as counter China’s growing international influence.
G20 summit: How India put the Global South in the spotlightThe Global South has long demanded better representation in the G20. India helped move the needle forward, laying the groundwork for more robust cooperation in the future, though it faces one final hurdle at this weekend’s summit.
Sri Lanka searches for solutions amid exodus of doctorsAn exodus of health care workers is straining Sri Lanka’s stressed medical system. Doctors are weighing their professional responsibility against their own well-being.
G20 face-lift: Delhi removes poor people, but not povertyDelhi’s push to get beggars off the streets before the G20 summit makes for a more attractive event, but makes life harder for the city’s poorest people.
Blasphemy claims triggered mob violence. Can Pakistan move forward?As attacks on churches draw attention to the country’s controversial blasphemy laws and growing intolerance, some worry the promise of a secular Pakistan is under threat.
